1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ultraviolet fishing lighting system for fishing at night enabling the fisherperson to observe the movement of a fluorescent fishing line when a fish is biting at the lure.
2. Prior Art Statement
In the practice of sport fishing, especially bass tournaments, it is customary for the fisherperson to observe the line for movement to indicate when a fish has first taken the bait. Professional fisherpersons observe the line just prior to the point at which the line enters the water and the line as it lays upon the surface of the water. The recreational sport fisherperson usually observes the line at the end of the pole or between the end of the pole and the water. Observation of the line is relatively easy during daytime hours, however, the night fisherperson must rely upon fluorescent line and an ultraviolet light, commonly called a black light, which illuminates the fluorescent line. The market has a number of ultraviolet light units which may be attached to the gunwale of a boat using suction cups or the like. The size, mounting and configuration of these ultraviolet light units impedes the practice of sport fishing as the units are generally in the line of casting and are subject to being dislodged from the gunwale of the boat and thus lost. Furthermore, the ultraviolet light emanating from these units casts a pall over the entire area of the chosen fishing spot often also shining directly into the eyes of the fisherperson. Therefore, there is a great need to improve the “black light” commonly used by night fisherpersons by eliminating the “pall”, directing the light toward the objects to be observed and readily and/or securely mounting the light.
It is known to provide a fishing lighting system comprising at least one lighting assembly which comprises at least one ultraviolet light source, at least one white light source and a means for separately controlling the light sources and a mounting base, the mounting base carrying the light sources and the means for separately controlling wherein the fishing lighting system is integral with a portion of the gunwale of a boat. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 6,474,851 B1 issued on Nov. 5, 2002, to David Baley. The Baley lighting system has been found to be useful for the purposes claimed therein, however, it has also found that the white light is unnecessary, the base occupies a significant length of the gunwale or gunwale rub strip and is therefore subject to damage during docking and finally, the UV light source is diffuse and thus not properly directed. Therefore, there is a great need for a concentrated UV light source that is directed toward region of usage, has sufficient intensity at least 40 feet and is readily protected from the environment.
It is also known to provide a fluorescent fishing light mounted to a gunwale of a boat by suction cups. For instance, see the U.S. Design Pat. 299,550 issued on Jan. 24, 1989 to Duncan M. Payne. A separate shield mounted to the top of the light is now required to keep the light from shining in the face of fisherpersons using this light. This diffuse, undirected, scattered light casts a general pall about the entire environment making viewing of the fishing line strained. The general pall also attracts bugs to the light. There is a need for a focused UV light source which has sufficient intensity to enhance viewing of the fishing line, is directed toward the region of usage, can easily be substantially permanently mounted to the boat, protected from the environment and which diminishes attraction of bugs.
It is further known to provide a lighting strip mounted in the bumper guard for the boat to provide for the ship's directional lighting. For instance, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,401 issued on Feb. 27, 1996 to Graham P. Evans. These strips require 250 volts AC power normally not available on a fishing boat thus requiring a separate power source. Additionally, the lighting strip cannot be used for fishing as the light does not project far from the bumper guard but is merely observed to be present when viewed. Thus, there is a need for a fishing lighting system using electrical power available on a small fishing boat which may also function as a lighting strip for identification.
It is further known to provide a cargo vehicle perimeter clearance lighting system including an elongated core light conducting strip clad about its cross section with a translucent material layer having an index of refraction different from that of the core material to produce a light guide. The lighting strip is illuminated by a light source having light focusing reflectors to end-illuminate the light guide. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,293 issued on Aug. 7, 1990 to Johnson, et al. It has been found by the inventors of the instant application that use of ultraviolet light for the light source does not radiate ultraviolet light from the translucent material of the Johnson, et al. patent and therefore there is a need for an ultraviolet lighting system that radiates light in a specific direction, has sufficient intensity to illuminate a desired region, can be readily mounted and protected from the environment.
William L. Hassler, Jr., in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,931 issued 4 Sep. 1990 claims a light source for producing a relatively uniform dispersed light emission along a length of a light bar, the bar comprising a prism made of polycarbonate having one frosted face and having a Light Emitting Diode lighting source in at least one end thereof. The light bar is illuminated but does not transmit light away from the light bar. Furthermore, it is been found by the inventors of the instant application that the ultraviolet inhibitors in the polycarbonate bar blocks ultraviolet light from passing from the polycarbonate prism of the Hassler, Jr., patent. Therefore, there is a need for an ultraviolet light source which may be readily placed upon, or secured to, a fishing vessel wherein the ultraviolet light source projects a directed ultraviolet light outwardly from the fishing vessel.
It is also known to provide a boat light system comprising a housing having top and bottom ends with a pair of elongate light sources mounted in the housing electrically connected to a plug at the lower end of the housing wherein a first light source emits black fluorescent light and the second light source emits a white fluorescent light, the housing mounted on the centerline of the boat at the front and/or the rear of the boat. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,078, issued on 16 Jan. 2001 to Ohm, et al. The fluorescent lights, so mounted, interfere with the normal navigational lights of the boat and the black light is a source of irritation to the fisherperson while fishing. Therefore, there is a great need for a UV light source that projects a directed UV light outwardly from the side edge of the fishing vessel that protects the fisherperson from the UV light rays.
Furthermore, it is known to provide ultraviolet lamps on a head strap for night viewing of fluorescing objects including, but not limited to, monofilament fishing line, tattoos, invisible ink, golf balls and scorpions. For instance, see the LED Ultraviolet Headlamps available from Black Light World, P.O. Box 26, Cub Run, Ky. 42729 or the UV LED Blacklight Headlight with Adjustable Elastic Band for Scorpion Detecting available from Erin Sheffo, 3912 Nantasket St. Pittsburgh, Pa., 15207. The ultraviolet head lamps available are good for close-in viewing of luminescing objects but the luminescent strength is insufficient for professional night fishing. Additionally, these ultraviolet head lamps seem to cast a general pall over areas remote from the immediate vicinity of the lamp thus limiting the effectiveness thereof. Thus, the need for an ultraviolet light source which is directed outwardly from the fishing vessel is still needed.
Finally, it is known to provide a gazing point illuminating device comprising an LED panel including one or a plurality of LEDs attached to goggles or eyeglasses wherein an LED panel is placed at each of the left and an right end of the goggles or eyeglasses. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,444 B2 issued on 29 Apr. 2003 to Shimada, et al. The focal distance and light intensity of the LEDs may be varied, however, the eyeglasses or goggles have driving motors to adjust to the focus of the light sources dependent upon the gaze of the wearer. The gazing point illuminating device is primarily used for medical operations, however, ostensibly could be used for observing a floating bobber in a fishing environment. Still, ultraviolet LED's are added to the white light LED's which defeats the purpose of the UVLED. Furthermore, the cost of such a device would be prohibitive for most fisherpersons and the goggles or glasses would still subject to being lost. Therefore, there is still a great need for an ultraviolet light source which may be readily placed upon, or secured to, a fishing vessel wherein the ultraviolet light source projects a directed the ultraviolet light outwardly from the fishing vessel and wherein the ultraviolet light source is protected from the environment.